Internal-combustion engine



April 1o, 192s. 1,665,607

C. E. SARGENT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 12. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 10, 1928. 1,665,607

c. E. SARGENT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 12, 1926 5 sheets-Sheet 2 Apr-n10, 192s. 1,665,607

C. E; SARG ENT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 12. 192e s sheets-sheet s N April 1o, 192s. A 6,665,607

C. E. SARGENT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July l2. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 jzmvzzr April 1o, 192s.

1,665,607 c. E. sARGENT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July l2. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 1G, 1928.

CHARLES E. SARGENT, OF LA KELAND, FLORIDA..

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed July 12,

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to such as belong to the well-known sleeve valve type. Theinvention is fully described in the following speciiication and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section through the engine on the line 1--1 of Figs. 2 and 7;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section on the line 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial horizontal section on sa the' line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial horizontal section on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section on the broken line 6,-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 6" is a similar section on the line 6a of Flg. 5;

Fig. 7 is a partial side elevation of the engine showing the intake and exhaust manifolds removed; and

Fig. 8 is a developed --view of the upper portion of the cylinder showing the relative positions of the intake and exhaust manifolds. p

The embodiment illustrated comprises an internal combustion engine which is here illustrated as having four cylinders, but it will be understood that this is illustrative only and that it may readily be adapted to be used on other numbers and arrangement of cylinders. The engine has the usual crank case 10, crank-shaft 11 Fig. 6a), connecting rod 12, piston 13 and cylinder 14.

Between the piston 13 and cylinder 14 is a sleeve 15 which is closed at its upper end by means of a head 16 which is preferably made integral therewith and has a series o fins 17. These are air cooled by means o air which is carried thereto through the air manifold 18 which has a vertical extension 19 over each cylinder head which surrounds a tube 20, the latter havingba ange 21 which is secured to the tins 17 y means of the screws 22. Air sucked through by centrifugal force due to the revolvmg hns 17, or forced through the air manifold 18 from a fan (not shown) passes between the tins 17 and around the outer edges of the iange 21. The cylinders 14 are cooled in any desired manner as by means of water 55 jackets 14a.

`The lower end of the sleeve 15 is provided 1926. Serial N0. 121,837.

with an annular ball. race 23, the complementary ball race 24 being carried by a nut 25 while a series of halls 26 operate between these ball races.

Thus it will be seen that the sleeve 15 is .free to turn within the cylinder 14.-, while its height is regulated by means of the nut 25. This nut has a series of spiral threads which engage the threads -27 of the crankcase 10. This nut turns only through part of a revolution, and carries an interrupted spur gear 28 which meshes with a sectional rack 29 which is carried by the rack bar 3() which extends along all the cylinders and has a similar rack engaging a similar nut for controlling the position of the sleeve of each cylinder so that all of them raise and lower simultaneously and by equal amounts. The rack bar 3 has a extension 30a which is pivotally connected to a lever 31 or similar device whichis under the control of the operator, so that by moving it back and forth he is able to control the height of the sleeves 15 for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained. 'The spiral threads pass through the spur gear teeth 28 but, for the sake of clearness, they are not so shown.

The several sleeves 15 'are simultaneously and equally rotated in the same direction by means of gear teeth 32 formed on the lower ends of their outer surfaces and the two middle sleeves mesh as shown in Fig. 6 with a pinion 33 which is keyed on a shaft 34 which is driven by the crank-shaft 11 (Fig. 6) through spiral gears 35, 36. This bearing is so timed that the sleeves 15 rotate at onehalf engine speed. The end sleeves are driven by idlers 33 which mesh with the gear yteeth on the middle sleeves.

Each cylinder is provided with an intake f port 37 and has an exhaust port 38 which f are connected to intake and exhaust manifolds 3.9 and 40 respectively. At 41 (Fig. 8) is shown the dotted outline of the port or opening in the sleeve 15. As the sleeve 15 is rotated, the opening 41 will advance in the directions of the arrows, assuming the position 41a where the inlet port is just opening and later that of 41 where this port is just closing, and it will then continue to rotate until it again assumes the position 41 where the exhaust port is open part way.

In the positions 41, 41a and 41, the sleeve 15 is at its maximum height, with the result that the inlet port remains open throughout the entire intake stroke. The closing posistantially three-quarters, one-half, and one quarter cut oli1 for the inlet port. This is due to the beveled or diagonal cut of tlie last engaging edges of the port 37 on the one hand and the opening 41 on the other. Since the inlet port 37 corresponds to substantially the entire 90 movement otl the crankshaft, which is the intake stroke, it is clear from the four outlined positions ot' the sleeve opening 41 in Fig. 8 that the inlet port closes earlier and earlier as the sleeve 15 is lowered.

At the same time, it will be noted that the head 16 is correspondingly lowered, so that as the cut-olf becomes earlier and earlier, the clearance space between the cylinder head and the top of the piston becomes less and less With the result that Lan equally constant nal compression pressure is obtained `for all positions of the sleeve l5.

While I have shown and described but a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many m'odilications. Changes, therefore, may be made in the-construction and arrangement which do not depart from the spirit 'and scope of the invention as disclosed in the'appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, a piston slidable in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outletports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, and means for moving said sleeve longitudinally to control the operation of said engine.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, a piston sildable in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet vports in said cylinder and in said sleeve and means for moving said sleeve longitudinally to vary the cut-oli" of said engine.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, a piston slidable in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft. inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, and means for moving said sleeve longitudinally to control the operation ot said engine, said head being firmly secured to said sleeve so as to vary the clearance volumetwith the longitudinal movement ot said sleeve.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a s eeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotat ble sleeve, a piston slidahle in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said r sleeve, and means for i'iioving said sleeve longitudinally to vary the cut-off of said engine, said head being firmly secured to said sleeve so as to vary the clearance volume with the longitudinal movement of said sleeve, the clearance volume decreasing as' the cut-oli' is decreased so as to maintain substantially constant compression pressures with varying points of cut-oit.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a crank-case, a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, a piston slidable in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, a nut rotatably mounted on said sleeve, spiral threads on said nut, spiral threads in said crank-case engaging the threads oi' said nut, and means for turning vsaid nut to move said sleeve longitudinally of the cylinder. y

6. In an internal combustion engine, a crank-case a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, a piston slidable in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in time-d rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, a nut rotatably mounted on said sleeve, spiral threads on said nut, spiral threads in said crank-case engaging the threads of said nut and a rack geared to said nut for turning said nut to move said sleeve longitudinally of the cylinder.

7. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, a piston slidable in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, a nut rotatably mounted on said sleeve, spiral threads partially surrounding the periphery of said nut, gear teeth on part of said periphery, and a rack meshing with said gear teeth and movable endvvise to move said sleeve longitudinally ofthe cylinder.

' 8. In an internal combustion engine, a cylindex', a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, means for moving said sleeve longitudinally to control the operation of said engine, tins on said head and means for .directing a current of air on said fins for cooling the head.

9. In an internal combustion engine, a

cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, means ior rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft,

inlet and outlet ports in said cylinderand in said sleeve, means for moving said sleeve =lon itudinally to control the operation of sai engine, the closing sides of the port in the sleeve and the inlet port in the cylinder being diagonally cut so as to cause the inlet port to close earlier as the sleeve is lowered.

10. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a sleeve rotatable therein, a head in said rotatable sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in timed rotation to the engine shaft, inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder and in said sleeve, means for moving said sleeve longitudinally to control the operation of said engine, the closing sides of the port in the sleeve and the inlet port in the vcylinder being diagonally eut so as to cause the inlet port to close earlier as the sleeve is lowered, said port in the sleeve extending below the lowermost edge of the inlet port in the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of June, A. D., 1926.

CHARLES E. SARGENT. 

